Skip to main content

SPB Sermons || The Way of Love || 1 John 4:7-21

The Way of Love | 1 John 4:7-21

The Way of Love

On Sunday, 5th January 2025, Rev. Andrew Irwin preached a powerful sermon titled "The Way of Love," drawing from 1 John 4:7-21. This passage is a profound reminder of God’s deep, sacrificial love for us and how that love compels us to love one another. Andrew opened the sermon by reflecting on the new year as an opportunity to consider our call as disciples and our purpose as a church family.

Love is a word we often hear but seldom grasp fully. In today’s world, love can be shallow, reduced to fleeting feelings or personal gratification. But 1 John 4 reveals the depth and reality of God’s love—a love that is present, committed, transformative, and sacrificial. Rev. Irwin emphasized that God’s love is not merely an internal sentiment but an active, tangible reality displayed most profoundly in the person of Jesus Christ.

God’s love is foundational to our faith. As Andrew pointed out, "We love because He first loved us." This truth reshapes our understanding of love and calls us to action. Within the church, we are called to love one another as a family, serving each other with generosity, hospitality, and prayer. But this love doesn’t stop at our doors—it must overflow into the world around us. The love we’ve received from God compels us to demonstrate His love in our communities through practical acts of service and a commitment to sharing the gospel.

The sermon concluded with a simple yet profound challenge for the year ahead: to love God, love one another, and love our city. As Rev. Irwin reminded us, this love is not about perfection but about being moved by the Spirit to reflect God’s love in every aspect of our lives. This is the way of love, and it is the way of Jesus.

Whether you’re hearing about God’s love for the first time or seeking to deepen your faith, this message will inspire and challenge you to live out love in practical, transformative ways. We invite you to listen to the full sermon and reflect on how God’s love can shape your year ahead.

Listen to the Sermon

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SPB Sermons || Sent Like the Son || JOhn 20:19-23

Sent Like the Son – Family Worship at SPB Belfast (Sunday 27th April 2025) On the evening of Easter Sunday, as fear gripped the disciples behind locked doors, Jesus appeared among them and spoke the words they most needed to hear: "Peace be with you." At St Paul’s & St Barnabas this Sunday, we reflected on John 20:19-31 and the incredible transformation that the resurrection brings — not just to history, but to our hearts and lives today. We joined the disciples in their fear and doubt, seeing how even the testimony of Mary Magdalene couldn’t unlock their fear. Yet no locked door could keep out the risen Christ. Jesus appeared, scars and all, speaking peace into their brokenness. His scars weren't signs of defeat, but emblems of the victory won at the Cross — a reminder that by His wounds, we are healed. Jesus did not come to rebuke His followers, but to comfort them with His presence, speak peace into their hearts, and to co...
Post a Comment
Read more

SPB Sermons || Spiritual Vitality: A Psalm for the Weary || PSalm 63

Spiritual Vitality: A Psalm for the Spiritually Weary We don’t often admit it, but many of us know what it’s like to feel spiritually dry. We’re not hostile to God, just tired. Life keeps moving, we keep showing up, but our souls feel like they’re running on fumes. In this sermon from Psalm 63 , Rev. Andrew Irwin invites us to see spiritual vitality not as a bonus for the super-committed, but as a core part of walking with God — even in the wilderness. Desire in the Dry Places David writes this Psalm not from a mountaintop, but from the desert. Hunted, hiding, and weary, he cries, “O God, you are my God… my soul thirsts for you.” It’s not a cry for rescue, success, or answers — it’s a longing for God himself . David remembers being in the sanctuary, lifting his hands in worship, and he yearns for that nearness again. Spiritual vitality begins not with more effort, but with more honesty . When we admit our weariness and desire, we open ourselves to the God who satisfies. Dryne...
Post a Comment
Read more

SPB Sermons || John 20:24-31 || An Invitation For All To See ||

The Invitation Still Stands John 20:24–31 | Holy Communion | Sunday, 6 May 2025 In this deeply personal and reflective message, Rev. Andrew Irwin explores one of the most well-known and misunderstood figures in the resurrection story — Thomas. Often labelled "doubting," Thomas is shown instead as honest, wounded, and longing for truth. His absence at Jesus' first appearance leaves him reeling in a sea of sorrow, having missed not only the risen Christ but also the peace and power the others received. Still, Jesus returns — not with rebuke, but with compassion. And in that grace-filled encounter, Thomas makes one of the clearest declarations of faith in all Scripture: "My Lord and my God." The sermon challenges the assumptions we carry about doubt, showing us that Jesus is not afraid of our honesty. Like Thomas, we are often shaped by pain, disappointment, and questions, yet we are also invited to bring them to Jesus — whose scar...
Post a Comment
Read more